Service Learning

Senior School girls (During the June/July holiday)

During this trip, Senior School girls travel to and immerse themselves in the remote reaches of Arnhem Land. They work on a needed project alongside the Traditional Owners of homelands nestled between Jabiru and Manangrida. In addition to the service project, the group spends time fishing at local water holes, spending time with local children, seeing jumping crocs and spending time at sacred sites, all led local First Nations people. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the girls to walk on ancient lands with the Traditional Custodians of the region.

Senior School girls – December Holidays

Girls travel to Cambodia to engage with projects associated with RAW Impact.  

There are significant cultural aspects to this tour including time to visit The Killing Fields, Toul Sleng prison, the Angkor Wot Temple site, floating villages and the flooded forest at Lake Tonlé Sap.

Year 9 or Senior School girls – September holidays

The aim of this activity is to provide an opportunity for girls to help our environment in some way. The trip incorporates an education program with Eco Barge Green Seas Inc., involving marine debris collection activities and Green Sea Turtle rehabilitation.

The trip also visits the outer Great Barrier Reef and camps on Whitehaven Beach.

Activities for all Middle & Senior School girls. Led by the Year 12 Interact Board

All girls invited to participate in events to support these annual projects:

• Beyond Blue
• Girls in the Middle
• Indigenous Literacy Foundation
• International Sponsor Children
• Jeans for Genes Day
• Responsive service when emergency or unexpected events prompt a response from the Fairholme community in order to support others in crisis
• Share the Dignity Campaign
• Shave for a Cure (only Year 12 girls shave or cut hair)
• Student to Student - The Smith Family

Middle School girls are encouraged to think about others through service to their community. This often takes the form of raising money for various charities including our Middle School sponsor child who we support through Compassion. The Middle School girls like to be responsive to emerging needs and so the charities we support can change each year to allow the students flexibility in their choices of services to others.

All students  - During Terms III & IV

This activity is organised through Samaritans Purse. Every Pastoral Care Group in the School gathers together items to pack in a ‘shoe box’ that is sent to a child in one of our neighbouring countries. 

Fairholme girls over the age of 16 are given the opportunity to volunteer their time to travel to Brisbane for a day to work on the packing/sorting line at the warehouse for Operation Christmas Child.

Anglicare supports recent refugees and migrants to the Toowoomba community

For Year 10 & 11 Girls

Held weekly after school, once afternoon/week

Cost: contribution towards transport

Held at Darling Heights State School each Wednesday afternoon during term time, this program enables girls to support the migrant children enrolled at the school to complete their homework.

Darling Heights State School has many students from non-English speaking backgrounds attending their school who have recently come to Australia and many of them are just learning English. Therefore, they require assistance from older people who are native English speakers. A different group of girls is provided with this opportunity each term.

For Year 11 & 12 Day Girls

Held once a month on a Sunday morning (maximum likely involvement is twice/semester)

Costs: food contribution on schedule Sunday

Rosies Friends on the Street provide meals for members of the Toowoomba community who are not always able to access nutritious food. A small group of girls, staff and parents provide a number of items in order to be able to cook a hot brunch for Rosies patrons, one Sunday morning each month – including holidays.

Current restriction to this service opportunity means that we cannot attend the outreach in person; however, we are still able to support Rosies through the provision of food supplies ahead of their Sunday breakfast, once a month.

For Year 11 Girls

Held on the first Weekend of the September holiday

In conjunction with Toowoomba Grammar School, this opportunity can be offered to approximately twelve Year 11 students who spend the weekend providing respite care for families and primary care givers of children who experience a range of physical and intellectual disabilities. Girls work through a thorough preparation program.

Primary Servant Leadership Role for all Year 9 Girls.

There is an opportunity for Yr 9 girls to be leaders of the Middle School and to provide service to the Middle School and broader College community. The leaders work together to prepare activities, games and competitions for the rest of the Middle School girls to enjoy and participate in. This helps to build an inclusive Middle School culture where each girl feels like she belongs.

The current Committees are:

• Communications Committee 
• Pastoral Care Committee 
• Sport Committee 
• Teaching & Learning Committee 
• The Arts Committee 

For Year 12 Girls

Primary Servant Leadership Role for all Year 12 Girls

During Year 11, girls indicate to which aspect of College life they wish to dedicate their servant leadership focus during their year of senior leadership.

Working under the guidance of staff mentors, each Leadership Committee prepares and presents a proposal for strengthening their aspect of community life.

Leadership Committees are:

• Communications Leadership Committee
• Environment Leadership Committee
• Junior School Leadership Committee
• Middle School Leadership Committee
• Ministry Leadership Committee
• Pastoral Care Leadership Committee - Black House
• Pastoral Care Leadership Committee - Cameron House
• Pastoral Care Leadership Committee - Powell House
• Pastoral Care Leadership Committee - Stephens House
• Restorative Practice Leadership Committee
• Teaching & Learning, Technology Leadership Committee
• Wellness Leadership Committee

When emergencies or unexpected events impact on a community, when possible, Fairholme will respond through awareness raising ventures and/or activities which will help to encourage donations for those in affected.